Total U.S. bankruptcy filings fell 5 percent in the first calendar quarter (Jan. 1 - March 31) of 2016 from the same period in 2015, according to data provided by Epiq Systems, Inc. Bankruptcy filings totaled 195,565 in the first quarter of 2016, down 5 percent from the 205,851 filings registered in the first calendar quarter of 2015. The 186,357 total noncommercial filings recorded in the first calendar quarter of 2016 represented a 6 percent decrease from the 2015 total of 198,413. However, total commercial filings for the first three months of 2016 were 9,208, representing a 24 percent increase from the 7,438 filings during the same period in 2015. Total commercial chapter 11 filings also increased 9 percent from 1,300 last year to 1,419 during the first three months of 2016. Click here for the full statistical release.
